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07/21/2016 12:00 AMKendall Hartt had anything but a sophomore slump for the Old Saybrook girls’ lacrosse team this spring. In fact, the complete opposite was true for Kendall, who had a breakout season and emerged into one of the best players in the area.
Kendall, a midfielder who also plays soccer for the Rams, had a fine rookie year in 2015 as she scored 18 goals. However, Kendall nearly tripled last year’s total in her second go-around with Old Saybrook lacrosse by netting an incredible 52 goals to lead the team in scoring, while garnering Second Team All-State and All-Shoreline Conference honors. Along the way, Kendall helped the Rams win 11 games, return to the conference final, and qualify for states.
“I worked really hard this year and I knew others on the team would be able to help me get all those goals and would support me,” says Kendall. “But then I also knew that I could help them score goals, so it was kind of a two-way street type of thing.”
Kendall’s craving for camaraderie ties into her preferred method of crashing the cage that involves some pinpoint passing before she or one of her teammates finishes with the goal.
“I love the give-and-go type play when you’re inside the eight-meter mark. It feels so good after that happens because it’s not a one-man effort and you need that other person,” Kendall says. “When I’m going towards the net, I’m always looking at my teammates to see if they have a better shot and I also try to take the shot where I think the goalkeeper won’t be looking.”
On the heels of her impressive second season, Kendall picked up a little boost of swagger heading into the latter half of her tenure at Old Saybrook. It’s something that bodes well for both Kendall and her team going forward.
“Last year, I wasn’t confident, but I knew I had to find confidence this season,” says Kendall. “I found it and it’ll be good for me going forward. Having that confidence is good for the team, as well, because it helps to make everyone feel better when you’re playing better.”
In evaluating Kendall’s many assets, Rams’ Head Coach Kendra Gerrish says that Kendall is forming the foundation to not only become a standout athlete, but also a top-notch leader.
“Kendall is a very young player, however, she has had a significant role on the team since she started her freshman year. She is a very versatile player, which is great when you have low numbers on a team. Not only can she play in any position, with the exception of goalie, but she does it without complaining. Kendall is also very talented with the draw and is able to help coach other girls on how she places the ball, making her a leader at a young age,” says Gerrish. “Kendall has a passion for the game, which shows in her ability, as well as her desire to win games and be a team player. In the spring 2017 season, I strongly feel she will be a big impact player not only for Saybrook, but as a standout player in the conference.”
Kendall feels that the sky is the limit for what the Rams can achieve through the next few years. After winning the conference title two years ago and then coming up one win shy of Shoreline supremacy this year, Kendall and company will be hungry to bring the title back to Old Saybrook next season.
“As a team, we want to keep making states and going as far as we can, plus we also want to get back to that Shoreline final and win,” says Kendall, who thanks her teammates, Coach Gerrish, and the entire Rams’ coaching staff. “For myself, I want to maintain my abilities I have and keep going, while also helping to build other teammates up.”